Suction cleaner



pril'zl, 1942. L. WQPARDEE 2,280,350

SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 17, 19401 INVENTOR. a/0 I4( P49055 v ATTORNEY.

A Patented Apr. 21, 1942 Lloyd W. Pardee, Lakewood, lOhio, assignor to 4The, Scott & Fetler Company, Cleveland, 0h10,

v a corporation of Ohio y Application :une 17, 1940, serial 10-340371 s olaims.` (c1. zas-,171)

This invention relates to electric suction cleaners of the portable type, and more `particularly to a new and improved coupling device for attaching an extension hose for olf-the-floor attachments to a suction cleaner.

Although various types` ofcoupling devices have been employed heretofore for attaching an extension hose to a suction cleaner, such defl has been selected for the purpose of illustrating,

vices, due to their construction, embodied many undesirable features. For example, where rigid connections were used, resistance to free and unrestricted use of the hose made it dlflicult and inconvenientto manipulate the attachment dis,-

posed on the end of the Ahose; Those coupling devices which afforded relative movement between the suction cleaner and extension hose were unduly bulky,` costly to manufacture, em' bodied a multiplicity of parts, and were incon- Venient to use.

The present invention provides a new and improvedcoupling device for attaching an extension hose to a suction cleaner which is substantially free from the aforementioned' disad.

vantages and undesirable features of `prior devices, is relatively, simple and inexpensive to manufacture. By means of a coupling device constructed according to this invention, an `extension hose may be` quickly andreadily attached to a suction cleaner in a manner which allows the hose. free rotatable movement while in use without being subject to becoming accidentally disconnected.

Various objects of the present invention will become more apparent and better understood from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: f

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a suction cleaner, having an extension hose l, of the coupling device shown in Figure 2,

Figures 4 and r5 are'details of the coupling device shown in Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a fragmentaryview illustrating the coupling device employed toA attach the extension 'hose tothe outlet of thefan case of a suc-v tion cleaner for blowing purposes,and,

in conjunction therewith, a coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Such a cleaner includes a casing I0 mounted on suitable wheels II and defining a motor housing I2 and` a fan case I3, the latter having an inlet or suction opening I4 and an outlet or blower opening I5. Extending through the fan casing I3 and a outwardly through the inlet opening I4 is the extension I4l vof the motor shaft (Figure 2). In normal on-the-i'loor cleaning the inlet or suction opening'l4 has vattached thereto a suction nozzle (not shown) which in the illustrated embodiment has been. removed to receive a converter member for attaching anr extension hose to the inlet I4.

vThe outlet opening I5 has associated therewith a dust box II, to which is attached a filter bag I3. A propelling handle/ I 9 is attached to the cleaner casing invsome suitable way as by means pf the bail 20. f

Inconnecting an extension hose to a suction cleaner, of the type illustrated in the drawing, a converter member IIi is first attached to the front wall of the fan chamber I3 in alignment; with the inlet opening I4replacing the usual suction nozzle. For making this attachment, there'is mounted on the front walll of the fan` chamber, below the inlet opening I4, a trans- Figure 'l is an exploded view, partly in sectirn, of the coupling device'sliown inFigure 6. With 'reference to Figure l of the drawing, a

suction'cleaner ofthe so-called `horizontaly type formed on the converter member I6 for main-l i taining the same in operative `position on the front face of the fan chamber. Also mounted on the front Wall of the fan chamber is an electric switch 25 which is connected in the motor circuit and serves to break the circuit when the converter member I6 is detached from the wall of thefan chamber. When the converter member I6 is Amounted in operative position, a depending lug 25a formed thereon is adapted to engagev theactuating lever of the switch 26 and close the electrical circuit therethrough.

The converter member I6 comprises a hollow tubular -body portion 21, the free end of which is received Within the inlet opening I4, a tubular portion 28 of reduced diameter and an intermediate frusto-conical portion 29 connecting the two end portions 21 and 28. The tubular portion 21 is formed on approximately, the same diameter as the diameter of the inlet opening I4 so that the clearance between the shaft I4a and the inlet opening I4 is maintained about theend ofthe shaft which projects into the portion 21 of the converter member, permitting the free low of material from the extension hose into the fan chamber. The outer surface of the intermediate portion 28 is provided at circumferentially spaced intervals with radially extending bosses 34 having transversely extending slots 3| therein.

The vextension hose 4| terminates in a rubber sleeve 42 which is adapted to telescopically receive a sleeve 4l. The sleeve 43 is formed with an outwardly extending flange 44 onthe end thereof, which, when the sleeves are assembled, cooperates with end of sleeve 42 to define a channel 45.

A coupling ring 45 provided with an annular inwardly turned flange 41 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 43 with the flange 41 disposed in channel 45. The inner surface of the coupling ring is provided with spaced inwardly extending cam elements 48. The cam elements are spaced at intervals about the coupling ring slightly greater than the width of the bosses 30 formed on the converter member, so that the same may be received therebetween. 'I'he cam elements 48 are so formed as to be wedgedly received within the slots 3| of the bosses 30 onthe ,converter member I6, each cam element 48 is slightly tapered in the same direction, the narrow ends thereof being adapted to enter into the adjacent slots 3| when the ring and converter member are assembled. The tubular portion 28 of the converter member is telescopically received within the sleeve 43, sufficient clearance being provided to permit rotative movement therebetween.

When it is desired to attach the extension hose.

4| to a vacuum cleaner of the type described for purposes of blowing, the dust box l1 and lter bag I8 are disconnected from the outlet I5 of the fan casing and replaced with a converter member 50. The converter member 50 is provided with an enlarged tubular'end 5| provided with bayonet slots 52. The end 5| is adapted to fit 'over the outlet I5- and is secured thereto by means of the pins 53 (Figure 6) engaging within the bayonet slots 52. (The converter member 50 is formed with a tubular sleeve 55 of reduced diameter which is connected to end 5| by the intermediate portion 55. Similar to the intermediate portion 2910i the converter member I8, the por-A tion 56 of member 50 isv provided at circumferentially spaced points with radially' extending bosses 51 having transversely extending slots 58 which are adapted to receive the cam elements 48 of the ring 46 to lock the ring and converter members together.

Having fully described my invention so that anyone skilled in the art may understand and practice the same, what I desire to obtain by letters patent will be set forth in the appended flange of the sleeve and the end surface of the extension hose, a converter member adapted to be secured to the suction cleaner, said converter member having radially extending bosses with clrcumferentially extending slots therein, said coupling ring having tapering cam elements adapted to frictionally engage within the slots in the bosses for removably securing the members together, one end`of the suction cleaner converter member being provided with a tubular extension which reposes in said sleeve when the coupling ring is attached to the converter member whereby said hose is freely rotatable with respect to said coupling ring and converter member.

2. A rotatable coupling for attaching an extension hose to a suction cleaner comprising a flanged sleeve secured in the end of the hose with the flange thereof spaced from the end surface of the hose, a coupling ring with an inwardly turned shoulder about one end thereof rotatably mounted on the sleeve between the flange of the sleeve and the end surface of the extension hose, a converter member adapted to be secured to the suction cleaner, said converter member being formed with a tapered intermediate portion having radially extending bosses with circumferentially extending slotsA therein, said coupling ring having tapering cam elements adapted to frictionally engage within the slots in the bosses for removably securing the members together, one end of the suction cleaner converter member being provided with a tubular extension which reposes in the sleeve when the coupling ring is attached to the converter member whereby said hose is freely rotatable with espect to said coupling ring and converter mem-` 3. The combination with a suction cleaner including a housing enclosing air flow producing means and an extension hose for attachments, of coupling means for connecting said extension hose and housing for relative rotary movement therebetween, said coupling means comprising a converter member adapted to be removably attached to the housing and having spaced outwardly extending bosses with 'circumferentially extending slots, a sleeve having an external flange thereon and adapted to be received within the end of the extension hose, a coupling ring encircling said sleeve and formed with an in' turned flange at one end thereof, and means formed on the inner surface of the ring for cooperating with the slots in said bosses to lock the ring and converter member together in a predetermined xed position to define a channel between the flange of the coupling ring and the outer free end of said bosses, in which channel tige external flange of said sleeve is freely rotata e.

4. The combination with a suction cleaner including a housing enclosing air flow producing means and an extension hose having a flanged end portion, of coupling means for connecting said hose and housing for relative rotary movement therebetween, said coupling means comprising a converter member adapted to be removably attached to the housing and `having spaced outwardly extending bosses with circumferentially extending slots formed therein, a coupling ring encircling said converter member, and cam members formed on the inner surface of the ring adapted to engage within said bosses to lock the ring and convertervmember together to form a channel therebetween, said converter memberA adapted to receive telescopically the end of the extension hose with the flanged end portion freely rotatably disposed within said channel.

5. The combination with a suction cleaner including a housing enclosing air flow producing means and an extension hose having a flanged end portion, of coupling means for connecting,

said hose and housing for relative rotary movement therebetween, said coupling means comprising a converter member having a tubular portionv adapted to beA removably attached to the housing, outwardly extending bosses having cirl cumferentially extending slots formed on the tubular portion of said converter member, a coupling ring adapted to encircle said tubular portion arid formed with an inturned flange at one end thereof, and tapered lugs formed 'on the inner surface of the ring for frictionally engaging within -the slots of said bosses to lock the ring and converter member together in a predetermined fixed position, said ring and converter member when assembled defining a channel in which the anged end portion of the hose is rotatably received.

6. The combination with a suction cleaner in- 'cluding a housing enclosing air flow producing means and an extension hose having a anged end portion, of coupling means for 'connecting said hose and housing for relative rotary movement therebetween', said coupling means comprisy ing a converter member having a tubular portion adapted to be removably attached to the housing, outwardly extending bosses having circumferentially extending slots spaced around the tubular portion of said vconverter member, a coupling ring encircling said converter `member and having members formed thereon adapted to frictionally engage within the slots in said bosses toy lock the ring and converter member together in a predetermined fixed position to form a channel therebetween, said converter member adapted to rotatably and, telescopically receive the end of said hose with the flanged end portion thereof disposed within said channel. v.

` LLOYD W. PARDEE. 

